Green Christmas: A Crafty Wishlist

My mother-in-law is the kind of person who sees something she likes on Pinterest, and then she actually makes it. Weird, I know. They aren't even total fails like the Crayon Pumpkin Disaster of 2012. She is always up to some project, and even has a craft room in her house! Here is a handful of my favorite Momalope projects:

She even made all of our Christmas stockings:

She can be a tough one to shop for, but craft supplies make for a great gift. She made me a list of things she could use for Christmas, most of which are for her crafting, and I will throw in a few other green options for all of you crafty people at the end! One of the best things we can do to be kinder to the environment is make things ourselves, because you are sure to get only what you need, you know the labor is kindly treated, and it doesn't travel far, so if you have someone in your life who is a maker, support that habit! Because they are awesome.

ok heres a few things to get you started on a list.

1 . a new sewing machine

.2.A new bike (that's for Pete really). 
3. Project Life Stuff 
4. New photo albums always. 

5. a bike rack for our truck

from Patina Market

1, Sewing Machine- MIL is looking either for a cheap one to give to my sister or a really nice one so she can give her old one to my sister. I hate to say it, but this might be one where she has me stumped. I have found a few made in Japan (from Janome, which are well-reviewed and described as "no frills" machines), so you are at least dealing with higher labor standards, but I honest to goodness can't find any made here in the US. 

I did find a few good sewing accessories made in the US- Sparkling Pumpkin sells measuring tape and pretty crotchet hooks out of Massachusets, this thread organizer was made here, you can also buy TONS of sewing patterns on Etsy (love this idea- you can help them discover a new idea and it is really affordable). Lastly, you can buy fabrics that were made in the US that they might find inspiring- like this felt or this plaid (this Austin store also sells yarn). You could also gift a cute needle minder or an amazing pin cushion like this one from Craft Hands Full Heart.

from Shinola Detroit

2. Bike- I know nothing about bikes, so I feel ill-prepared to give advice on this front. If we are being completely honest here, I live in constant fear of bicycles on the road- it's like someone is throwing a precious porcelain heirloom at you and you have to catch it. They make me so nervous. And when I was on foot at Stanford, I was hit by a bike more than once. So I have some bitterness towards bicycles, proving once again that I am a very poor environmentalist.

The good news is that so many bikes are still made in the US, so not only is it so eco-friendly (and healthy) to travel by bike, you can find good options easily (unlike those sewing machines- what the hell!). You have tons of options, and they all live in Portland (ok, I kid, but not much). Since I don't know anything about bicycles, I will just list the ones I found from cheapest to crazypants expensive to holy crap what- Worksman Cycles (370), Shinola Detroit (1000), Antbike Mike, Hufnagel, Signal Cycles, Six Eleven Bicycles, Independent Fabrication Bikes, Rivendell Bikes, (2300), Bilenky Cycle Works, Vanilla Bicycles (their waitlist is years long- crazy), Steelman Cycles (3000),Pereira, MAP Bicycles, Richard Sachs Cycles(5000). Metrofiets makes bikes with a seat or storage in the front.

from amazon

3. Project Life Stuff- It may sound like a Pro-life think tank, but Project Life is actually a scrapbooking system by Becky Higgins with a serious following, and my MIL loves a good scrapbook. Higgins writes a pretty fun little blog and has lots of ideas about how to best document life. I really like the stuff, and it's a good idea to stick with a system if you don't need that constant creative control but you still want some pretty scrapbooks.

I can't tell for sure where their products are made (I see one mention of "imported"), but if you wanted to be eco-friendly, you could go with the digital app instead, and your scrapbooker could print only what they needed in their own home (Project Life has Shutterfly books now, so that might be something to try as well). You could also go with a gift card?

If you have a scrapbooker who doesn't necessarily use Project Life, you can find some other supplies on Etsy. I love these cut out map circles from Tanith's Odd and Ends that would be a perfect theme for a travel scrapbook (and stand as a good reminder you can re-use any paper in a scrapbook). Straight Home sells kraft paper scrapbook sheets so you can use recycled paper as the base of your scrapbook. I also love their collection of stamps- you can find anything you need and reuse them forever. You can also find stamps from Rubber Hedgehog and in consignment stores.

You can also get Made in the USA scrapbook paper from companies like Scrapbook Customs, Cardstock Warehouse, Thunderbolt Paper, or Reminisce.

from Gallery Leather

4. Photo Albums- This one goes straight to my heart, because I would really love to find some Made in America photo albums as well. We have had awesome luck finding frames at consignment stores, but the albums are often pretty wonky looking. I have consistently used those Pioneer albums, but they are made in China, so I have to break that habit. On one shopping trip, I discovered Gallery Leather, which makes all of their photo albums in Maine (yay!). They look a little more sophisticated than I would have gone for before, but they aren't crazy expensive and they will get the job done! New favorites.

I did find a couple other options that look pretty good. Most of the US-made albums seem to be leather, including these ones from McKinley Leather, Journey Leather, and Rustic Ridge Leather (The Boy gave me one of their albums for our anniversary, and it is so special I can't decide what to do with it yet). Parker Photo Albums are made here too, and come in a variety of sizes and album types. Album source has a whole Made in America section, so you can find lots of choices.

As a side note, this might be a great opportunity to do a creative gift as well! You could make them a book on a site like Shutterfly (they print their books in the US, but not a lot of their gifts) or Artifact Uprising, I am currently obsessed with Artifact Uprising, who also make their books out of recycled paper, but I haven't mastered it yet. A gift certificate to one of these sites might also make a perfect gift- you can store as many pictures in one of those books, and there is a lot less plastic involved. I think it really encourages people to finally put those pictures to some use! Do other people use other book design sites? What would you recommend?


5. A Bike Rack- They don't just need a bike, they need a way to get those bikes down to the bike trail, so they don't have to bike on the road and scare poor drivers like me. Again, tons of great options! I love it! Our pick- Saris makes bike tray hitch racks that you can get in various sizes on REI or amazon. Not cheap, but good for a family maybe, or this truck mount is pretty affordable.Thule also sells bike racks but they are even more expensive for really hardcore bikers. Surco has a ladder-mounted option.

You can also get a hitch tightener in case something doesn't fit right or you want to improve something they already own (because not getting something new when you already have it is one of the most eco-friendly things we can all do). You can also get all sorts of tools, baskets, stands, and safety bands from REI made in America, so you can find a good gift for the biker in your life.

A Few More Ideas for the Crafter You Love

First of all, Etsy sells all sorts of craft supplies and materials, so if you can't find what you are looking for in consignment (Seattle has it's own art supply consignment store- Seattle Recreative- so your neighborhood might have some cool options as well), start there! No reason not to make eco-friendly decisions here.

Candlemaking Supplies- This might be a cool, crafty hobby, and I know we have received homemade candles as a gift and loved it. You can get wicks and beeswax or soy wax on Etsy from local sellers! Not very expensive either.

Felt- We have bought tons of felt from Etsy for our various projects, and it always works better to pick the specific colors we need than to buy big sets when we can't use a lot of it. Busy Little Bird has tons of color options, and lots of different set sizes to choose from. I think a fun pile of felt might make a really cool gift for the right person!

from Shan C Studio

Mosaic Tiles- I have always thought mosaics are so cool. I want to be the kind of person who makes mosaics, or has one of those tables with a mosaic top in their yard. If you have someone in your life who likes making mosaic, you can find all sorts of cool and recycled tiles to buy them for inspiration. I think these mosaic tiles from Shan C Studio would make so many gorgeous things. I have noticed that inspiration is half the battle, so if you can find inspiring materials like these, you could be giving a real gift! Discount Mosaic Tiles sells oodles of options, and Rainy Day Mosaics sells recycled tiles.

Screenprinting Kit- I know, this diy screenprinting kit is off the beaten track in terms of crafting, but i think it might be just up your crafter's alley, and it would make for a fun new experiment or project. Good if you are looking for something new and surprising. They may be opening their own Factory in no time!

from Ananemone

Tags- If you have a sewer you love in your life, you could get them these personalized tags from Ananemone to put in the clothes that they make! I seriously love this idea, so thoughtful and simple.

from Amazon

Yarn- With yarn, start in consignment. At Seattle Recreative, we always have a huge selection of yarn. Someone gave me the advice that you can get really great yarn at estate sales and consignment stores. This is the darkest advice I've been given since starting this series if you think about it too long. Still, if you have a knitter or crotcheter in your life, it may also be useful advice. Cheap, good yarn is hard to beat! If you are looking for something very specific, there are plenty of made in America options as well. Lion Brand makes their (100% acrylic) yarn in the US, I have used Red Heart Super Saver Yarn before, and it is not the softest but it is made here and holds together well, so it's great for learning or for kitchen towels. NY Lamb yarn is 80% wool and much softer, while still being pretty affordable.

Still feeling inspired to shop? Awesome! Check out my Big List of Shopping Lists and go greener and more local this Christmas! Buy less and buy better!

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Five Favorite Etsy Stores- Advent Calendar

I want to keep highlighting amazing makers in the US, and I feel like my Etsy links can get caught in the more mainstream shuffle. So starting a series to focus on the greatest stuff we have found. 

Nomad Fine Art

Advent gets downplayed in the hustle and bustle of the season, but I know it has a pretty big role in our house. An advent calendar seems to be spiritual enough that it doesn't have a huge market (thank goodness) but you can get an amazing and meaningful advent calendar on Etsy. Of all the things I have researched this season, these might be my favorite. 

Baby What Knots (Indiana)- I LOVE this one so much. You can buy a little tree and 25 little ornaments to go with it. Really pretty and would look great in a kid space or even a minimal space without room for the tree.

Nomad Fine Art (California) sells a bunch of advent calendars that are modern, thoughtful, beautiful, and shockingly cheap. I especially love the clip and copper pipe ones, because I think you could incorporate it into a reverse Advent calendar, where each day leading up to Christmas you donate belongings as a family. These look so cool, and you could use them in so many ways to best fit your family's traditions.

Knoll Wood Lane (Missouri)- These simple unfinished wood boxes could look a million different types of beautiful depending on how you decorate it. I think this could be really cool, or even make a great gift for a couple's first Christmas. Even though this is simple, it is my favorite. If you are more of a felt DIYer, check out the Sugar House Shop.

N and B Specialties (South Carolina) makes art for your home out of reclaimed wood (one of my favorite things). They have a simple and rustic Advent tree that would look good with lots of decor but I think it looks even cooler like this outside! I love how sweet and simple this one is.

French Melody sells cool printables, but this flock of advent sheep is my favorite by far! If you are going to do it, put it on recycled paper, so you are supporting a nearby small business AND saving a tree from coming down! Double win! Also, this looks like a fun project to do with a teen or older child (or awesome adult).

Want even more eco-friendly and local shopping inspiration? Check out my Giant List of Ethical and Eco-Friendly Shopping Lists. 

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Our Steampunk Travel Nursery Inspiration

This weekend our car is in the shop, so we finally had lots of time to put things together and start making the room our futon and printer is in into a nursery. The Boy and I love a project, and I am lucky to have a partner that responds to my crazy ideas with "Ok, how are we going to do this?" We have been buying little things and taking small steps toward getting it done, but now it is time to step up our game and make this thing happen.

I decided early on that I wanted the nursery to have a travel-y theme, because I feel like having adventures is a good (and completely genderless) foot to start on. When I started showing the Boy the things I was thinking about, he really loved the idea of making it steampunk travel, with lots of flying machines and mechanical doo dads. He got so freaking excited about it, and whenever he jumps on an idea like that, I basically go with it, because he mostly just vetoes until we find what we like.

So we had our theme- Steampunker Adventure- and our colors- teal, gold, black, white, and metallic business- way back in May or June, before we knew the gender. We scared people with the theme (if you just google steampunk, you don't find much that is baby-appropriate), but I think they are mostly on board now. As we get closer and closer to meeting our spawn, we have collected a bunch of inspiration and ideas, all of which are on my pinterest.  Here are the ones we love the most:

There are a couple of really cool rooms on pinterest with a travel or a steampunk twist to them: 

from thedecorologist.com

This is a very subdued and chic version of the adventure idea, which is not our style (I will never pull off chic), but I still love some of the ideas.

 

 

from laybabylay.com

Gah, I love everything about this one:

from thehandmadehome.net

from babyology.com.au

This is my favorite room we have found, so it is the closest thing to what we are trying to replicate in our room (though I think ours is pretty different). This one is whiter and lighter than what we are doing, but it inspired me to use white and metallic frames together. I also love that it is for twin girls:

from melodymelikianphotography.blogspot.com

from melodymelikianphotography.blogspot.com

 I also love this shelving, which we haven't figured out yet:

from theminimalistmom.com

 This one is the closest to our colors:

from designdazzle.com

The theme comes with tons of cool art options, but sadly we don't have too much wall, so most of this is just inspiration:

from society6.com

from minted.com

from etsy.com

from relaxdeco.com

I also love this clock, but it is so expensive, and again, no walls here:

from amazon.com

 You can find tons of really cool steampunk stuff on Etsy, though it is a little more challenging to find things that are baby friendly. Plus, you never want to go too crazy, because the baby doesn't care, and the theme will change in a few years (so we have tried to mostly pick things that can transition into other parts of the house or other uses when he wants Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or something). But here are some of my favorites:

from etsy.com

from etsy.com

I love that this one is an iron on. Right now, our plan is really plain bedding, so I am thinking one iron on like this might make it pretty special. 

from etsy.com

 We did buy some hot air balloons to hang from the skylight too, but they are in boxes. Sadly, I never found it in this color. I also found black and white ones, which I loved, but they apparently only sell them in Australia. No one needs to spend 50+ bucks just on shipping for a nursery.

from casasugar.com

 The Boy is working on a flying machine mobile, and we couldn't find any too many examples out there, but this is the closest we got to what we are thinking:

from texassteampunks.ning.com

I am still obsessed with this rocking puppy, because I feel like it matches the room and reminds me of Bumbo. I may still go for it for a "Christmas gift" or something.

from rhbabyandchild.com

 What is Done so Far

So, we are 9 weeks out from baby, and we still have a lot to do to pull off all these cool ideas.

My mom came to visit at the beginning of August, and she helped me paint the room "Icy Teal." Then I mixed Icy teal with a couple of the more saturated testers (1 in the background) and painted the inside of the skylight. We are going to hand hot air balloons, our biggest splurge, from the skylight. 

 The Boy's big project has been turning this old steamer trunk into an eventual toy chest.We have to change the hinges so as to not cut off his fingers. Until he is is old enough to get in it, we will use it as a table and storage. The Boy has really transformed it, but I will show it off once he finishes.

 Yesterday, we stepped up our game and really got to work. The Boy painted my dresser a copper metallic color. We bought cool handles on ebay to fit the Steampunk theme, but they aren't here yet, so for now we just put the old ones back in. My plan is to put the changing pad on top of the dresser, so we can give it multiple uses.

 We also put together the crib, which has been sitting in a box in our living room for over a month. I thought putting this thing together was supposed to be a rite of passage, but in comparison to some of the things we put together this year it was easy peasy. None of the furniture is particularly where it is going yet, because I have no idea exactly what that will be anyway. We are also trying to figure out what to do about our router, which also lives in the baby room but probably needs to be out of tiny person reach (eventually).

The rest of the room (including the closet, which I didn't take a picture of), is just a collection of all the stuff that doesn't have a home yet. We have a map of Franklin from Debence, a world map, and some of the decor from our shower to frame and put up as art. We bought a neat surveyor's lamp that still needs a lampshade. I etsy-shopped a bunch of mappy, steampunky pillowcases since we don't have much wall to hang things on.

We still need to figure out storage, but we will either buy something vintage/used/cheap and repaint it, or we will buy some cubbies like I have my art supplies in. We are not planning a big investment here.

The Boy still has to get working on his flying machine mobile, and I am going to make an art piece out of maps and some sort of family pictures wall hanging. Plus we have to put it all together in a way that makes sense, and I still have no idea how we will do that. Luckily, our spawn will be bunking with us for the first 3 months or so, so there is really plenty of time. We are getting there, but once we finish, I will post more pictures.

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Green Christmas: The Kitchen Gadget Wishlist

The Boy loves kitchen gadgets. More than once, we have been rushed out of Bed Bath and Beyond because he just can't stop looking at that big wall of kitchen stuff. I can't complain, because he does all the cooking in our house. So life is good, even if we do spend an inordinate amount of time inspecting spatulas.

We are pretty practical gifters- I think we both like the feeling of accomplishing something, so a fun kitchen gadget is like the best of both worlds! It check something off the "Still Need" list but can give him something new to experiment with.

The Boy's List:
Mandolin
Kitchen Island
Vegetable Peeler
Potato Ricer
Mortar and Pestle



Mandolin- "I've done enough slicing this year that I think a mandolin would be a real time save. Hopefully, that's true and it doesn't end up like the poor julienne peeler thing that is so lonely in the drawer." 

from npebaysale

I found this cool pre-used mandoline slicer on Etsy that came from an estate sale. The price is right and it looks pretty cool. Might be a winner.

from Lehman's

I did find this cool cabbage cutter at Lehman's, which may not work for every job, but seems like a fun toy to shred things with. And anything that makes lettuce more fun is probably a win.

Kitchen Island- "While I love our kitchen, the biggest downside is a lack of continuous counter space. The one long stretch has mostly been taken over by a dish drying rack, stand mixer, fruit bowl, and other miscellaneous stuff, leaving us with two smaller counters on either side of the stove for food prep, and they share the space with the knife block, paper towels, etc. Anyway, so while the kitchen feels large, it gets awfully cramped. A kitchen island can help us solve any counter space issues." 

I should have expected it, but I was honestly blown away by how many cool kitchen islands were on Etsy (and cheaper than a lot of what I have seen elsewhere). Seriously, if you are thinking about any gift this Christmas, check Etsy before you settle on your options, because they may have more than you expect! Also, you might find some inspiration and take on the task yourself!

from Herb's Furnishing

I think the winner might be one of these streamlined, simple, but gorgeous kitchen islands from Herb's Furnishings. Nothing fussy, but they make their furniture out of reclaimed wood, and we don't need a bunch of extra doodads.

We did get this last Christmas, and I absolutely love it. Herb's Furnishings helped us get exactly what we needed, and the island probably gets more compliments than anything else in our house. 

You love the idea but want a different design aesthetic? I got you. Here are some more- 3 Hands Furniture (gorgeous), Wooden Whale Workshop, 2nd century furniture, and Colorado Tables.

from Our Vintage Kitchen Co

I found a number of gorgeous kitchen islands that look like repurposed dressers, like these beauties from Our Vintage Kitchen Co. I think this particular one is a little feminine to give my husband for Christmas, but there are lots to choose from.

This one from CS Antiques rides that line between shabby chic dresser and clean, modern kitchen.  Maverick Industrial has a simple but masculine island to butch up a kitchen. This island from Ezekial and Stearns also feels a little rustic and masculine while staying light.

from amazon

We have eyed Catskill Craftsman kitchen islands for over a year now, but only the all wood islands are made in the United States. My favorite is the French Country Workcenter, which is very simple, but since we would move it back and forth, it is better to not have too much on it. They also have drop leaf ones, to make the worktop even larger. This would be my second choice, since it has that clean craftsman look that would match our kitchen (can you tell I've thought about these?).

John Boos and Co makes moveable islands and carts at Sur la Table. They are not cheap (WAY too expensive for Christmas gifts unless you are ridiculously swanky), but they do look beautiful.

Vegetable Peeler- "The vegetable peeler is probably the most straightforward ask- we used to have two, but the first was super dull and unhelpful, so we ditched it. Now, the other one is starting to get dull too. Can you sharpen them? I don't know. But we peel a lot of veggies (especially carrots for the Bub)."

from amazon

Rada Cutlery makes Made in America vegetable peelers which are under 10 dollars and would do the trick. Definitely would be a winner! They also have a deluxe version. Done deal. You can also find a ton of vintage options from Etsy (for 8 bucks- why did I buy so many new things all these years? Screw you, Bed, Bath, and Beyond).

Potato Ricer- "If we are going to perfect gnocchi, a potato ricer is key."

I had bad luck finding potato ricers that are made in America (a few on Amazon came up, but I couldn't verify that any were made Stateside). On the other hand, I found a number of awesome vintage options that are still ready to use!

from Taming Chaos

The majority of the vintage potato ricers look just like this one from Taming Chaos. They are steel and have a little bit of rust, but most are described as still ready for use . And they come in lots of bright, vivid colors.

Mortar and Pestle- "I want to do more of my own spice grinding. Right now, whenever I need to grind saffron or coriander seed, I end up either just trying to grind it with a spoon in a plastic bowl (saffron) or putting it between some paper towels and using a rolling pin (coriander). Neither method is very effective, nor do they look as magical as a mortar and pestle." 

A mortar and pestle can be a helpful tool that you can find in all sorts of pretty materials and makes. We already love Fletcher's Mill salt and pepper grinders, and they also make a mortar and pestle! We may do this, so we can continue to support a company we already love. Lehman's sells a marble mortar and pestle which looks simple, lovely, and cheap!

from Betelgeuse Pottery

Etsy has some great options as well- my favorites are probably ceramic mortar and pestles like these ones (with a notch, so smart) from Betelgeuse Pottery. It really just depends what kind you want. You can also find plenty of vintage options, like this wooden set from Thumb Buddy with Love or a marble set from the rhubarb studio.

from Jenn Erickson Art

I am also seriously considering one from Jenn Erickson Art in Boston, because she has a nice variety of ceramic mortar and pestles in lots of colors. They are just rustic enough to be a good gift for a guy, but they also seem a little dainty and pretty. I love ones from Seabloom by Rainy, because they can be used in your kitchen or for your altar grinds. Multi-tasking! Backyard Ceramic sells a floral morter and pestle.

A Few More Ideas for the Foodie You Love 

If you are The Boy, go away! Seriously!

from Urban Cheesecraft

DIY Cheesekit- I LOVE this idea from Urban Cheesecraft out of Portland, Oregon. You can make your own mozzarella! I feel like this is just the kind of project we would find fun, and it might just be a neat addition to his foodie arsenal.

Oyster Knife- This may not be as fun as a Nessie Ladle or garlic carriage, but this Dexter-Russell oyster knife  might encourage The Boy's new plan to make oysters at home, because they are so expensive when you eat out. I may buy this one.

Jacob Bromwell Funnels- Ok, I think maybe this 100+ year old company's products are the kind of thing you buy once you are a little more grown up, and you realize it's important to buy things that will last. We found one of their sifters at Goodwill, and jumped at that gem, and now I am considering buying him a frying pan or funnel that will be part of our kitchen for the rest of our lives.

Pizza Cutter- These pizza cutters by Epicurean are eco-friendly, made in the US, and just look cool. I like that the shape is flat, so you can fit it easily in a drawer. In our house, we eat pizza a lot, so this might make a good gift, or it might work in your house!

Graters- Microplane makes all sorts of graters, mostly in the US. I know we love ours. This is a medium ribbon one, in case you use a thicker cheese.

from amazon

Pans- USA Pans are made in Pittsburgh, and are basically the best pans made in the States. They manufacture for all the fancy kitchen stores, but you can also get their pans for perfectly reasonable/ comparable to lesser pan prices. If you are shopping for a cook, and something needs replaced, join me in supporting this awesome company.

Lastly, I will buy him this, because how can you not, really.

from Crafts Gone Awry

Hope this helped you get inspired to gift your favorite cook some used and Made in the US stuff! Don't settle!

If you want more shopping inspiration, check out all the shopping lists here.

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